Chapter 33 #4
"Mumma... call Dadda. I drank water too", Siya said excitedly while running back toward her mother and proudly showing her half-empty bunny bottle.
"Good. Let's go", Akansha said, holding her daughter's hand as they walked toward the staff room.
A few staff members were still having lunch there, and almost everyone brightened the moment they saw Siya.
The little girl was the star of the school.
She naturally brought smiles wherever she went and attracted attention effortlessly, exactly like her father.
Akansha silently thanked fate that Siya inherited this trait from Shaurya and not from her.
If Siya had taken after her in this matter, people would have ignored her presence the same way they had ignored Akansha's for most of her life.
Now, Akansha no longer cared about such things.
But there was a time when it used to hurt.
"Omg! My little star, you are here? Come here..."
"Siya darling, you made our day with your visit!"
"Akansha ma'am, keep bringing Siya here. She is such a cutie."
Different voices echoed around them, and Akansha simply nodded politely in response.
Meanwhile, Siya happily walked toward everyone, soaking in all the attention and momentarily forgetting about the call with her Dadda.
But only for a moment.
She could never forget him for too long.
"Can I play with you latel(later)? My Dadda will call now. I have to talk to him fist(first)", Siya said adorably.
Bharti, Shalini, and a few other teachers in the staff room looked visibly surprised hearing Siya mention her father.
All of them had assumed Siya's father was dead.
Akansha sighed inwardly and subtly shook her head at them, silently warning them not to ask insensitive questions in front of Siya. Some people simply lacked the basic decency to avoid certain topics around a child.
"Siya... why don't we talk to your Dadda after going home?", Akansha tried, though she already knew it was futile.
She couldn't let Siya video call Shaurya in front of so many people.
There weren't any empty classrooms either.
Usually, the staff room would be empty during the second half of lunch break because all the staff members went downstairs for the mandatory post-lunch walk. But today, everyone seemed late.
Akansha sighed at her bad luck.
"No... I talk to Dadda... now", Siya insisted stubbornly.
Everyone looked surprised because Siya was usually an extremely sweet and well-behaved child. They didn't know she could be stubborn too. Little did they know, when she wanted something badly enough, Siya could become the most stubborn child possible... exactly like her father.
"Fine... but no video call", Akansha said quietly while making Siya sit beside her chair.
Although the teachers pretended to mind their own business, Akansha knew better. Every single ear in the room was focused here, eager to hear Siya speak to her father. But she didn't want to disappoint her daughter just because others lacked boundaries.
"Here..." Akansha dialed Shaurya's number and handed the phone to Siya.
"Dadda...", Siya squealed excitedly, clearly realizing he had picked up the call within the first ring itself.
"Yes, my gulab jamun... how is my baby? Is school tiring you?", Shaurya asked softly, his voice audible only to Siya and Akansha.
"No... I like hele(here)", Siya replied happily before immediately starting to narrate her entire day.
From how her friend borrowed her pencil to how her mother forced her to drink half a bottle of water before allowing her to speak to him, Siya told him everything seriously. And judging by the way her tiny face kept lighting up, Shaurya's responses were clearly satisfying her completely.
"Okay, now say bye to Dadda. He is busy, and you'll see him at night", Akansha interrupted gently.
Siya immediately pouted, but one stern look from her mother made her give up.
"Bye Dadda... see you night(tonight)", Siya said reluctantly.
But the moment her father properly responded and promised to meet her at night, the little girl started grinning again.
Akansha took the phone from Siya and walked aside, intending to tell Shaurya how Siya had mentioned her father at school but had hidden both his name and identity. He would definitely feel proud of his daughter's maturity.
The moment Akansha stepped away, Bharti and Shalini immediately moved closer to Siya, clearly hoping to gather information about her father.
"So... Siya has got Dadda huh?", Bharti asked with a smile while patting Siya's cheeks.
"Yes... Dadda lubs(loves) me a lot...", Siya declared proudly while stretching her tiny arms wide to show just how much her father loved her.
"Oh! Can we meet him?", Shalini asked curiously.
"No... Dadda is very buzzy(busy). He has time only for me and my Mumma", Siya replied possessively, instantly getting protective.
Her Dadda belonged only to her and her Mumma.
"Does he stay in your house?", Bharti asked again.
"No. Dadda has a big house. He stays there... because he has lots of work. Big big guards also...", Siya explained innocently.
Bharti's eyes widened immediately.
Was Akansha seeing someone from an influential background? This was interesting.
A smirk slowly appeared on her face, but unfortunately for her, Akansha noticed it the moment she returned and instantly understood what was going on inside Bharti's cunning head.
"What's his name?", Bharti asked again.
"Why do you want to know MY Dadda's name?", Siya asked sternly while folding her tiny arms.
Akansha almost wanted to kiss her daughter's cheeks tightly for that answer alone. It was a direct slap on their faces.
But clearly, it still wasn't enough.
"Answer her, Bharti ma'am. Why exactly are you so interested in knowing her father's name?", Akansha asked coldly.
Both Bharti and Shalini's faces paled slightly seeing the stern expression on Akansha's face.
"Just like that", Bharti muttered with a shrug.
Before Akansha could respond further, Siya suddenly started speaking excitedly again.
"Mama bear... Dadda said he will bling(bring) his small photos. He said I look the same", Siya said happily.
Akansha smiled softly before picking her daughter up into her arms.
"Yes, you look exactly like him. You are a mini copy of your Dadda", Akansha said before kissing Siya's cheek lovingly.
That answer alone gave Bharti enough clarity that Siya had indeed been speaking to her real father all this time.
But then where had he been for all these years?
Akansha silently glared at them, clearly warning them not to even think about throwing dirt on either her or her daughter.
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At night, Shaurya visited his wife and daughter. The moment he entered, Siya ran toward him and jumped straight into his arms.
"My baby didn't sleep today?", Shaurya asked in surprise.
Siya only shrugged before hugging him tightly and nuzzling her face into his neck. Shaurya looked toward Akansha for answers because he didn't want his daughter suffering from lack of sleep.
Usually, Siya would have dinner early and sleep for a while so she could wake up again when he arrived and spend time with him.
"She slept longer than usual in the afternoon, so she isn't sleepy now", Akansha replied.
"Oh! I got to know from Mumma that my Siya followed Dadda's request... so Dadda has a surprise for you", Shaurya said.
Siya squealed excitedly.
"Suppise(surprise?) Yayyy", she jumped happily before hugging him again and kissing his cheeks, making him chuckle.
"Here... Dadda got this for his little princess. A unicorn for another unicorn", Shaurya said while taking out a jewelry box from his pocket.
Inside was a delicate chain for children with a unicorn-shaped pendant studded with tiny stones.
He was about to make Siya wear it when Akansha stopped him immediately.
"She's allergic to artificial jewelry", Akansha said.
"This is gold, relax...", Shaurya replied calmly with a smile.
Of course he knew his daughter was allergic to artificial jewelry just like her mother. It was one of the very few things Siya had inherited from Akansha.
"Dadda.... this is sooo sooo pwetty. Thank you....", Siya exclaimed happily before running inside to look at herself in the mirror.
"Here... these are for Siya too. I got them made for her", Shaurya said while handing Akansha another bag.
Akansha opened it and stared at the jewelry inside.
"What's all this?", she asked.
"Some are for occasions, and these cartoon and unicorn sets are for daily wear. She'll love them", Shaurya explained while watching his daughter admire her chain with a huge smile.
"You want your four-year-old daughter to wear gold jewelry every day?
Where exactly is your brain? Did you leave it at home?
" Akansha scolded him instantly. "She can barely take care of herself.
How do you expect her to protect gold jewelry?
God gave you a brain, Shaurya. At least use it sometimes. It would save me a lot of energy."
"She'll be careful... relax", he replied coolly.
"Dadda... I will weal(wear) it to skool(school)", Siya declared excitedly instead of asking.
"Of course, baby. Whatever you want", Shaurya agreed immediately.
Akansha rolled her eyes at the father-daughter duo.
Siya turned toward her mother excitedly to show the chain, but the moment she noticed Akansha wasn't smiling, her own smile slowly disappeared.
"Dadda... I don't want it", Siya said softly, almost on the verge of tears.
She genuinely loved the gift her father had brought for her, but she didn't want to accept something her mother disliked.
"Why, baby? You liked it, didn't you?", Shaurya asked gently.
"Mumma not like it", Siya replied sadly.
Akansha couldn't help smiling at her daughter's thinking.
Meanwhile, Shaurya hugged Siya tightly, touched by how much importance she gave to her mother's opinion.
"Very good... you made Dadda very proud today. Mumma always comes first", Shaurya said before kissing her forehead.
"But who told you Mumma didn't like it?", Akansha asked while sitting beside Siya and pulling her into her lap from Shaurya's arms.
"I know my Mumma", Siya replied confidently, making Akansha chuckle softly.
"But Siya bear, Mama bear liked it a lot. I just don't want you wearing it to school daily", Akansha explained patiently.
"Why Mama bear... I like it so much. Pwease... I weal(wear) it to skool(school)", Siya pleaded.
"Look at it now. It's shining and beautiful, right?" Akansha asked, and Siya nodded immediately. "But if you wear it every single day, it won't shine anymore. And someday it may even break. Do you want that?"
Siya instantly shook her head rapidly.
"Exactly. So wear it only on special occasions", Akansha explained.
After a lot of persuasion, Siya finally agreed reluctantly.
"Siya... go keep Dadda's phone inside the room. This time belongs only to my Siya", Shaurya said while handing his personal phone to his daughter, deliberately sending her inside because he wanted to speak privately with Akansha.
"Okeyyyy Dadda... yayyy", Siya replied cheerfully before running inside.
The moment she disappeared, Shaurya turned serious.
"Akansha... make her wear at least one of these chains daily. Maybe pin it safely somewhere so she doesn't lose it... but make sure she wears it at any cost. I got trackers installed in them", Shaurya explained.
Akansha immediately looked furious.
"How dare you? I'll throw all of this out right now", she snapped angrily.
"Will you calm down first?" Shaurya replied quickly.
"I did it for her safety. Siya is my daughter.
Whether the truth becomes public or not, it won't take long for my enemies to figure it out.
You have no idea how far people can go to bring me to my knees.
And only Siya or you..." He stopped himself midway before correcting immediately.
"I mean... for Siya, I can go to any extent. "
Akansha slowly calmed down while listening to him.
"If I wanted to secretly track you, I wouldn't have told you about it in the first place", Shaurya added.
Akansha nodded slowly.
"I'll do anything for Siya's safety. But if you ever do something related to my daughter without informing me, I won't even let you come near her. Everything connected to my daughter should be known to me", Akansha said firmly.
Shaurya nodded without arguing.
Soon, Siya returned, and the three of them spent some time together.
Later, Shaurya took permission from his daughter to leave for a week-long campaign tour. Getting approval from Siya was not easy at all. He had to make multiple promises before she finally sanctioned his leave.
Akansha watched everything silently, slightly surprised that Shaurya actually took Siya's "permission" rule seriously.
Eventually, Siya fell asleep in her father's arms.
Shaurya carefully carried her to the room, tucked her into bed, and returned to the hall. But the moment he stepped out, he frowned seeing Akansha on a call.
And within seconds, that frown turned into fury after hearing the conversation and realizing who she was speaking to.
"Neil... you, at this time? Everything okay?", Akansha asked in surprise.
"Yeah. Sorry, I didn't realize the time. Actually, the other day I discussed a project with you. Are you available tomorrow so we can discuss it further?", Neil asked.
"Can't we talk over the phone? I'm already busy with school work along with the CR project", Akansha replied.
"Yeah, sure... Actually, I want to hire you as a consultant.
The people involved in this project and their mental health are very important to me.
I want you to take care of it... counseling, motivation, whatever you think is better for them mentally.
Because of the stakes involved, I can't even hire well-known psychologists due to trust issues.
Dad suggested your name. He said you're trustworthy and told me to speak with you", Neil explained.
"Neil... I'm a child psychologist. And honestly, I've never even practiced professionally, so I don't think I'm the right person for this.
" Akansha paused briefly before continuing carefully, "And regarding Mr. Khanna recommending my name.
.. both of us know why he actually wants us to meet.
But neither you nor I are comfortable with that.
I'm content with my life with Siya. I haven't thought about a relationship, nor do I want one. "
"Hm... I think you're right", Neil admitted after a pause. "But still, think about it once. I trust Dad's judgment. If he thought you were the best person for this project, then he definitely trusts your capability. So please consider it. Let me know if you change your mind."
After exchanging brief goodbyes, the call ended.
Akansha sighed softly, kept her phone aside, and walked toward the kitchen for water.
That was when she saw Shaurya standing there, visibly furious.